1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an athletic stroke training device. More precisely, the present invention is directed to a horizontal alignment member that attaches to a player's shoulders or hips to help him or her perform proper shoulder or hip rotation during a rotational stroke in tennis, golf, or similar sport.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many sports, proper shoulder, upper torso, or hip rotation is important to generating power in a particular shot. For example, the importance of shoulder rotation in the game of tennis to achieve a powerful forehand or backhand is well known. Likewise, proper shoulder rotation and hip action are recognized keys to a smooth and powerful golf swing.
There have been attempts at improving the stroke of a player by use of a prop or similar accoutrement. For example, a stroke training device known in the art is comprised of a guide member connected between the player's body and a stroking device such as a tennis racket or golf club. The intent is to focus the force of the player's body rotation at a constant radius as the player's body moves among the forward stroke, the back stroke, and the follow through positions. The guide member includes a reference surface located between the gripped, hand end of the stroking device and the player's body for defining a vertically extending reference plane located wholly between the hand end of the stroking device and body within the constant radius of swing and moveable into a stroking or hitting plane, including the object to be hit. Essentially, the stroking device links the hand position of the player to his/her hip on the racket or club side along with the upper torso. Use of the device insures that the player undergoes body rotation and locates the player's hand at a fixed and repeatable distance from the player's body. An example of this device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,779 to Dalbo.
Other stroke training devices include U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,682 to Yanagidaira and U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,528 to Mc Cardle, Jr. The Yanagidaira reference is directed to a golf putter improvement device that aides proper relative positioning of the golfer's arms. The improvement device is an elongated strip or plate of lightweight wood, plastic, or the like, and has at opposite ends curved portions adapted to be interposed between and to engage snugly against portions of the golfer's arms. While using the device, the golfer practices putting with his arms fixed or stabilized slightly separated from his body.
The McCardle, Jr. reference discloses a golf training device having a shaft with a lighting means located in each end of the shaft with a light beam emitted from each lighting means directed away from the shaft. Apparently, the device allows the golfer to visualize through light illumination the mechanics of a proper golf swing to develop muscle memory.
Another athletic training device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,392 to Foresi, which is directed to a golf training device for teaching a pendulum type putting swing. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,323 to Burns discloses an electronic device for teaching in real time the movement of a selected part of a person's body beyond a desired boundary limit. The device is constructed from battery powered tone generators attached to the limbs or other parts of the user's anatomy. Depending on orientation and attitude of that limb, off axis mercury switches are activated to generate an audible signal alerting the user to an improper posture or an exceeded boundary limit.
Despite the foregoing efforts in the field, there is still a need for an athletic stroke training device that is easily adapted to fit on a player's body to help him or her improve shoulder, torso, or hip rotation. Through such improvements in body mechanics, the efficiency, consistency, and power of the stroke are enhanced.